Obscure
by Elle-Potter-Black
Summary: Mira starts her second year at Hogwarts as a celebrity, now known as The Girl Who Lived. The year for Mira and her friends doesn't go past quietly and the little group of children simply cannot resist the temptation of going after the secret that lays in Hogwarts
1. 01 The Girl Who Lived

_**"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."**_

 _ **\- Albus Dumbledore**_  
 _ **Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets**_

 **NOT FOR THE** first time, an argument broke out between the two Rhodes sisters.

"I want your necklace!" Penelope screamed from Mira's doorway.

"You're not getting it!" Mira yelled back. "It's mine and I sure as hell am not sharing shit with you!"

"Watch your language, Mirabelle!" Their father, Darmacus Rhodes, yelled from downstairs. Mira growled under her breath.

Penelope was Mira's younger sister and just about the complete opposite of her with her blonde hair and brown eyes. They had a great dislike for each other and argued almost non-stop.

Penelope and Mira lived with their mother, Hydra, when their parents divorced, but moved in with their father after Hydra's death. Mira was less than pleased, it was the second time they were moving in less than six months and was growing tired of things very quickly. They had just gotten settled in Godric's Hollow and then were forced to pack their stuff and leave again. Mira had found something very interesting in Penelope's boxes when she had to pick them out of her sister's room. It was a box full of clothes... and letters.

When Mira turned eleven last year, she expected to receive her Hogwarts letter somewhere around that time, but she only received them nearly a month later, with over two hundred sprawled all around the house one morning. Mira didn't know why she got two hundred letters and stopped questioning it once she entered Hogwarts. She finally got her answer whilst moving Penelope's boxes.

Penelope had stolen all of Mira's Hogwarts letters, pure out of jealousy for not being allowed to go that year too.

Mira was livid when she found out. She considered confronting Penelope, but that seemed to light, Penelope needed to be punished for her lies. She even considered breaking the law and hexing Penelope - maybe a Stinging Hex, a Bat-Bogey hex, and Instant Scalping hex were her top three.

Mira was going to get revenge, but she was still thinking about how she would get revenge. Either way, it wasn't going to be pretty.

They were meeting their father's girlfriend and her children today for the first time. Penelope wanted to look her best, which included wearing jewelry. They'd met the girlfriend, Ashley, two weeks ago and Mira adopted an immediate hatred to Ashley. Ashley had shoulder length dirty blonde hair, grey-blue eyes, an oval-shaped face, and slightly crooked teeth, her eyes crinkled when she laughed - that God-awful annoying laugh - and she always sat very straight.

Mira thought it was the worst day to meet her and her family since it was also the day they had to go to the wizard notary to hear her mother's will and what she left for them. Mira was hoping and praying that she would get something that truly meant something to her mother, just so she would feel close to her mother.

"You are so selfish!"

Mira saw red. She stood up and walked towards the door. "Get fucked, Penelope." then she slammed the door shut right in Penelope's face.

She felt satisfaction course through her as she heard Penelope let out a screech of frustration in the hall. She gave the door a final kick before leaving.

"Can you believe her?" Mira asked Chantilly, her British Shorthair cat, who was snoozing on her bed. "The audacity. Mum raised us better than that."

A sharp pang hit her chest as she thought of her mother. It had been a month since her mother's death and Mira had a hard time dealing with it. Her friends visited her many times to help her go through it, but Mira could only find comfort in Misha. Misha's mother died in an accident when he was nine so he was the only one who knew how the ache felt.

The funeral was a week after Hydra's death - murder - and had gotten a lot of publicity. Mira could barely get out of the car since it was swarmed with journalists. Aurors were forced to enter the scene and escort Mira to the graveyard and remained to guard every entrance until the end.

Her friends were very helpful with Mira's traumatic experience. Jace, one of her best friends, tried to come by as many times as he could. Jace was a pure-blood wizard and he and his family, along with the Weasleys, were considered blood-traitors. Jace was one of the sweetest boys Mira knew, they were very close friends.

Jace came by yesterday with Diana and Dahlia since Misha had gone to Sweden with his father and his little sister Luna. Her friends tried to help as much as they could, not talking about the attack, but instead watching her favorite TV shows and movies with her. Jace, the sweet boy, even read her favorite book to try and talk to her about something she liked.

Tatiana, Claude, and Jasper tried to visit as often as they could, but their parents didn't allow them to visit Muggle neighborhoods. They had met three times so far, and it took place in parks and coffee shops, all in secret.

Diana was the main cause of Mira's excessive swearing. Diana said that swearing could help with her emotions - her anger, to be precise. Diana was right, Mira enjoyed swearing and ignored every warning her father gave her, knowing that he wouldn't do anything anyway. She swore when she dropped something, she swore at Penelope, she swore when she couldn't find something, she swore at everything. It was something she was uncomfortable with before, she even considered it foul, now she relished it.

She remembered when she first swore in front of her friends. They were in a coffee shop and Mira dropped her phone on the ground and said: "Fucking hell.". Dahlia stared open-mouthed at her, Diana's eyes widened as if she couldn't believe that Mira could say those words - even though Diana herself swore like a sailor -, Misha, Tatiana, and Claude stopped doing whatever they were doing and sat frozen in their seats, Jace and Jasper laughed so obnoxiously loud that they nearly got kicked out of the coffee shop.

Mira broke out of her thoughts when she heard her father yell from downstairs.

"Has anyone seen my wand yet?"

Darmacus had lost his wand over a month ago and insisted on using Mira's, much to her dismay. She walked to her closet and got out jeans and a grey sweater.

She brushed her hair quickly and settled down on her bed. She was prayed to Merlin once last time for something meaningful from her mother and left the room after grabbing her phone, earbuds, and the bag she got from Jace on her twelfth birthday.

"Are we leaving?" Mira asked when she arrived downstairs. Penelope was in front of the TV and didn't look up from Mira came.

"Yes, c'mon, Penny." Darmacus turned off the TV and Penelope just about ran to the car.

Mira didn't wait for her father and walked out of the house and almost got to the car when someone held her arm in a vice grip. Mira turned around in surprise and her arm was released. She looked up at her father with a hint of disdain.

She hated how easily her father brushed her mother's death aside. He had been gentle for about two weeks until he slowly began acting as if nothing happened. If he was upset, he surely didn't know it. Mira was glad that Penelope burst out in tears sometimes, it showed that Penelope was grieving and truly felt something painful, unlike their father.

"What, dad?" Mira asked, hoping to finish talking quickly. She leaned back when he pointed his car keys right in her face.

"No funny business, alright? I want no glass disappearing or anything like that because you will get a warning from the Ministry this time." He warned.

When Mira accidentally used magic in the zoo during the Easter Holidays, her father had prevented a letter from the Ministry from coming. Apparently, he was in a position good enough where he could bribe the Minister for Magic to not send a letter to Mira.

Mira held her head high. "And why was it necessary to prevent that? I saw that as an apology."

Darmacus leaned further down and glared furiously down at her, Mira was quite surprised to see him looking at her with a hint of hatred.

"You better not talk about that or you're not coming to the notary office," Darmacus growled and Mira's eyes widened slightly before they formed a glare. Mira opened her mouth, but Darmacus stopped her before she could get anything out. "One word, Mirabelle, and I will take your phone and your cat."

Mira's mouth fell open and Darmacus leaned back in satisfaction.

"Now what do you say?"

Mira clenched her teeth. "Yes, sir."

"Good." He let out a satisfied hum and walked around the car to get to the driver seat. Mira got in the back with Penelope, who was humming a happy tune quietly.

They arrived at the notary office and got out of the car. A few other family members were already waiting in front of the notary office, seemingly waiting for the Rhodes to arrive. There weren't many people waiting, less than ten.

Mira paid no attention to the other family members as she walked in and sat down immediately. What she did notice that a lot of people were staring at her and either looked perplexed or awed. Family members that she'd never met in her life also gave her looks, seemingly hesitant to approach her. Penelope sat down next to her after a few minutes of greeting family members and leaned close to her.

"The man with the scars is here," Penelope whispered to her.

Mira looked up from her phone and crossed her legs. "So?"

"He's so scary and... ugly."

Mira rolled her eyes. "Your wide range of vocabulary continues to amaze me, Penelope."

Penelope leaned back and glared. "You don't think they're at least bit scary?"

"I see the same scars in the mirror every day," Mira answered simply.

Penelope crossed her arms and looked around. "Your scar just goes over your forehead.. Where is he?" she turned around and craned her neck to search for the scar-faced man.

Mira pulled her arm roughly. "Don't do that. You look like a fucking imbecile."

Penelope rolled her eyes and shook Mira's hand off. "Don't touch me."

Mira made sure Penelope wasn't making a fool of herself before she returned to her phone. She was chatting with Jace. Fred, George, and Elijah pulled a prank on Percy and he locked himself up in his room in a fit of anger. The prank involved changing Percy's hair color from red to electric blue. Jace sent her a picture and she thought it was hilarious. The contrast of Percy's angry red face to the blue hair was hysterical.

"Family and friends of Hydra Walburga Rhodes?" a bald, chubby man walked over to them and Mira looked up at the mention of her mother's name.

"That's us." Darmacus stood up and walked over to the man. "Darmacus Rhodes." he held out his hand for the Muggle to shake.

The man shook it with a nod. "Albert Darwin. I'm the notary. Were you her husband?"

"Ex-husband," Darmacus replied without hesitation. "Lead the way, Mr. Darwin."

"Yes, of course." Mr. Darwin turned on his heel and everyone stood up to follow Mr. Darwin. No one talked to each other and the air grew heavier the closer they came to their destination. Mira looked at the interior of the notary office and wondered if Gringotts was connected to the place. The inside was quite modern and incredibly neat. Old paintings graced the walls, the old colours creating an odd contrast to the white walls. "Here we are."

The room was quite large for a few people. The walls were painted a dark color and the floor was set with dark wood, the curtains of the windows were pulled aside and Mira decided that this notary office had way too many color contrasts.

Everyone walked in and Darmacus got Penelope and Mira to sit right in the front row. Mira leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs, and laced her fingers together.

Mr. Darwin took out his reading glasses and cleared his throat.

"We are gathered here today to discuss the will of Hydra Walburga Rhodes. I am the notary that Mrs. Rhodes appointed herself. I will be reading what Mrs. Rhodes wrote in her will. I will start off with the family members." He cleared his throat again and began reading. "To my cousin, Andromeda, I leave the golden bracelet you gave to me in my fourth year of Hogwarts and my wish would be to hand it down to your daughter, may my dear cousin Andromeda, her husband Ted, and her daughter Nymphadora live a long and happy life. Then next..."

Mira tried to pay as much attention as she could, but the vice around her heart tightened as she continued to her mother's will. She lost count how many times she swallowed the bile stuck in her throat. She blinked away the tears and breathed out slowly.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked down at it. The hand was slightly scarred and calloused.

Her head snapped up when she heard what her mother left for Penelope.

"To my youngest daughter Penelope Susan Ann Rhodes, I leave all of my jewelry." Penelope grinned wide. "With the exception of the House of Black family ring and the ring I received as a gift from my best friend, James Potter. Those two rings belong to my oldest daughter Mirabelle Lily Euphemia Rhodes now."

Mira swallowed. She knew how much the ring meant to her mother. Mira had no idea her mother got it from James Potter, though, until now. She was very content to have received something so touching and so close to Hydra.

"Now, my final wishes are to leave my two rings to Mirabelle. I leave my wand to her, as well, and I hope she takes great care of it." Mira tightened her grip on her hands. "Then finally, my last wish is for Mirabelle to inherited all of the money that I own. My 50,000 pounds and 200,000 Galleons all belong to her now."

Mira's mouth fell open in shock. She heard a few people gasp, including Darmacus and Penelope. The hand on her shoulder tightened and loosened before it was removed from her shoulder.

"No, I won't allow it!" Darmacus shouted, silencing everyone in the room. Everyone stared at him wide-eyed. "Mirabelle is twelve! She can't inherit that much money! I won't allow it!"

Before Mr. Darwin could reply, Andromeda had stood up and glared up at Darmacus.

"It can't be changed once it's put on paper," Andromeda argued. "Wizarding laws differ from Muggle laws, Mr. Darwin. Mirabelle _has_ to inherit the money."

"Mrs. Tonks, Mr. Rhodes, sit down." Mr. Darwin ordered and both reluctantly complied. "According to the law, Miss Rhodes is allowed to inherit his much money. Although, the choice lies with her." Mr. Darwin looked at her and so did everyone else in the room. Mira didn't even try to hide behind her hair, she continued to stare at the paper in Mr. Darwin's hands, completely and utterly flabbergasted.

Hydra made a choice to give Mira _this_ much money. She wasn't sure if she would be responsible for it, she never had this much money. How was she going to keep it all together?

"Miss Rhodes has the choice to keep the money or give it to someone else." Mr. Darwin said, his yellow-ish eyes peering at her. "What will be your choice, Miss Rhodes?"

"So who will the money go to if I refuse it?" Mira found herself asking.

"The money would be going to Mr. Rhodes." Mr. Darwin replied

Mira looked up at her father and saw that he had paled remarkably. Mira almost smirked. She _finally_ had control. She knew her father wanted the money badly, him being rich would definitely help him jump up the ranks in the Ministry. Unfortunately, Mira was just about done with her father.

"I decide..." she trailed off, intending to make Darmacus nervous. "I decide to keep it myself."

Mr. Darwin nodded. "I will ask for you to come later and sign a few papers. Now I have to continue your mother's will."

Mira felt unbelievably smug. She could practically feel the rage and embarrassment rolling off her father. Maybe he'll treat her better now that she could offer him a few things.

Everyone stood up and Mr. Darwin called a few people to stay - Penelope Rhodes, Mirabelle Rhodes, and Remus Lupin. The rest piled outside and eventually went home after bidding everyone - Andromeda glared at Darmacus - to have a good day.

Lupin was the first one inside the office while Penelope, Darmacus, and Mirabelle sat on the couches outside the office. Mira was on her phone with her earbuds, listening to music on max volume.

 _ **I'm rich - Mira**_

 _ **what r u talking about? - Tatiana**_

 _ **bitch answer me - Tatiana**_

Penelope unexpectedly slapped Mira's thigh and ripped out her earbud. Mira glared fiercely at her little sister and rubbed her sore thigh.

"What now?" Mira snapped., clearly annoyed.

Penelope groaned. "You missed him. Again."

"Who?" Mira asked herself and regretted it immediately.

"Who?" Penelope mocked. "The man with the scars! Who else?"

"Jesus Christ. Why do you want me to see him?"

"Because you're twins with your scarred face."

Mira just rolled her eyes and plugged back into her earbuds, ignoring the stab in her stomach at Penelope's words. She ignored Penelope as she stood up and walked into the office. She didn't understand why Penelope wanted Mira to see the scar-faced man so badly. Mira wasn't interested to see someone similar to her.

Penelope was in the office with Mr. Darwin for less than five minutes before she left again. She looked pissed and Mira wondered what happened. This time, Penelope was carrying Hydra's jewelry box.

"Miss Rhodes, if you please?" Mr. Darwin motioned for Mira to come forward and she stood up, watching her father and sister warily as they whispered angrily to one another. "Sit down, please." Mr. Darwin walked around his desk calmly as Mira sat down in the leather chair in front of him. "You are one of the three people Mrs. Rhodes requested for me to talk individually too." Mira wondered why he kept calling her mother 'Mrs. Rhodes'. "I suppose you don't know why?"

Mira shook her head mutely.

"Well, your mother has asked you something, but she wanted you to decide it alone so you wouldn't feel pressured amongst your family members and she wanted it to stay with you and the people you'll choose to share it with." Mira nodded slowly. "Are you following me?"

"Yes, sir," Mira replied politely.

"Your mother has given you the option to change your name." Mr. Darwin announced and her eyes widened momentarily. "Although, she only granted permission for your last name. Your name must remain Mirabelle Lily Euphemia."

"I can choose my last name?"

"Yes. You can choose to keep your current last name, or change it to Potter."

Mira's eyes widened again. Potter? Hydra wanted her to change her name to Potter? Why?

"Why would she want that?" Mira questioned.

Mr. Darwin sighed. "Mrs. Rhodes believed that it would come in handy for in the future."

Mira's eyebrows furrowed together. "For in the future?" she muttered to herself.

If her mother gave the possibility of changing it into Potter, then Hydra must've wanted it for Mira. Wasn't that the least she could do for her mother? Taking the name of Potter? A small voice in her head told her that she should, the least she could do for Hydra after giving her life for Mira's.

If her mother wants it, then her mother gets it.

"I'll change my name," Mira said, feeling like she just made the worst and best decision in her life.

Mr. Darwin gave her the smallest of smiles. "Then we will settle this immediately."

Mira's eyebrows shot up. "I don't need my father's permission?"

"You have your mother's." He paused. "Once again, wizarding laws differ from Muggle laws."

"Yes." Mira nodded. "So... what do I need to do?"

Mr. Darwin waved his hand and three sets of papers levitated over to his desk and Mira's heart tightened. She missed the magic and wanted to go back to Hogwarts so bad. She missed the Weasley twins pranks, missed her friends, her common room, she even missed her strict Transfiguration professor, Professor McGonagall.

"You will need several new things when you change your name. Including a new ID, a new passport, etcetera." He paused. "And luckily for you, your mother already handled that before, all you have to do is sign an extra paper."

Mira began signing papers and her hand trembled slightly when she signed the paper to officially change her name. Then she signed another one to enter her mother's vault.

"And I can enter anytime I want?" Mira asked when she finished singing all the papers.

"Yes, you can, Miss Rho- Pardon, Miss Potter." Mr. Darwin corrected himself. "Now something else."

Mira watched curiously as he summoned another paper towards the desk. It stopped in front of her and she glanced at Mr. Darwin before she began reading.

 _ **I, James Fleamont Potter, hereby give my inheritance to Mirabelle Lily Euphemia (hopefully Potter) Rhodes.**_

James' neat script sat on the paper and Mira's breath caught in her throat.

"More money?" Mira asked, her voice breaking.

Mr. Darwin nodded.

"How much?"

"Approximately 600,000 Galleons."

"Oh my God." Mira gasped, putting a hand over her mouth. "You're sure? Absolutely sure?"

"Absolutely sure."

"Why?"

Surprisingly, Mr. Darwin let out a small chuckle, confusing Mira. "Forgive me, I don't think I ever had someone questioning such a generous inheritance offered to them."

"With all due respect, but were they twelve?"

Mr. Darwin shook his head. "No, they were not." He paused and sighed. "The reason Mr. James Potter had his inheritance set on you instead of his son is that you were the second choice."

"Harry was the first," Mira whispered, her body aching painfully as she thought of her friend.

"Yes." Mr. Darwin nodded. "You are to sign one more paper to be able to enter the Potter vault." He held out a phoenix feather quill to Mira and she slowly, reluctantly, took it from him and shakily signed her name on the bottom of the paper. "But Mr. James Potter didn't just leave you money, but most of his possessions." He held up a paper and began to read. "I, James Fleamont Potter, give Mirabelle Lily Euphemia Potter-" Mira saw her new last name appear on the paper and sighed when she saw her previous last name disappear and be replaced. "My Invisibility Cloak."

"Oh, Jesus." Mira whimpered, feeling overwhelmed by everything that she inherited.

 _600,000 Galleons, her mother's dearest possessions, an Invisibility Cloak?_

He stood up and Mira followed suit, her body shaking terribly. He tapped his wand on his desk twice and a trunk floated over to them. Mr. Darwin reached inside the trunk and took a shining, silvery cloth from inside and handed it to Mira carefully. It was strange to the touch, like water woven into the material.

"An Invisibility Cloak." Mira murmured in awe.

 _The possibilities will be endless..._

Mr. Darwin reached inside the trunk without a word to Mira and rummaged through it. Mira looked up when he held out two rings to her and she took it with a mix of hesitation and eagerness. She inspected the two rings closely. There was one her mother always wore.

And another one Mira had never seen in her life.

"What about the money?" Mira asked curiously.

"Your money is currently being transported to the Potter vault and you can enter it anytime you wish to do so." Mr. Darwin explained and reached inside the trunk for the last time today. "And lastly Mrs. Rhodes' wand."

Mira looked down at her mother's wand and took it from Mr. Darwin. Her mother's words flowed through her head.

 _Ah, Diagon Alley. I loved being here. Oh, and Ollivanders! I remember buying my wand. Ebony, ten inches, dragon heartstring. Be very careful with yours, just like I was with mine._

Mr. Darwin cleared his throat after closing the trunk. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Potter. May I say that you take a lot after your mother?"

Mr. Darwin might one of the most polite gentleman Mira has ever met.

Mira gave him a small polite smile. "It's been a pleasure meeting you too, Mr. Darwin. Thank you for all your help.

Mr. Darwin nodded and led Mira to the door. "Goodbye, Miss Potter."

"Bye, Mr. Darwin."

Mira released a breath when she walked away from Mr. Darwin and swallowed when she saw Darmacus and Penelope standing at the entrance of the notary office. As soon as she left the room, she stuffed the Invisibility cloak and the Potter manor key in her bag.

"We have to go now," Darmacus said in a clipped tone, took Penelope by the hand and left the office, not even waiting for Mira.

Rolling her eyes, Mira followed them to the car and stood at the door of the back seat. She texted Tatiana, Dahlia, and Jace continuously and told all of them what happened.

 _ **my girl is rich - Tatiana**_

 _ **CONGRATULATIONS THIS IS AWESOME - Jace**_

 _ **Congratulations, Mira! - Dahlia**_

Mira laughed at the difference between Jace, Tatiana, and Dahlia. Jace had taken a liking to writing almost every text in big letters. He felt like things needed to be excited.

"Miss Rhodes! You forgot your jacket!" The door of the notary office opened and Mr. Darwin's assistant came running out, her cheeks red.

Mira looked at her, her stance relaxed, and her voice light and uncaring as she uttered the next words. "It's Miss Potter now."


	2. 02 The Thatchers

**NEVER IN HER** entire life had Mira seen her father so angry in her entire life when he heard Mira's words.

 _It's Miss Potter now._

The satisfaction Mira felt was nearly indescribable. The look on his face, the anger, and betrayal. She fed on it and it made her feel even stronger, it made her even more powerful than she already was. She wondered how much advantage she could take out of her new name. She wasn't going to immediately drain the Potter vault and take advantage of the money they left her.

"So you changed your name."

Penelope's snide voice broke Mira out of her thoughts.

"What kind of betrayal is that to our family?" Penelope continued, her voice sharp.

Mira knew that laughing only would make the situation worse so she stayed quiet.

"Nothing?"

She was surprised to find that Darmacus would say anything to her. He noticed.

"Now that you've changed your name, are you still a member of the family?"

Mira was confused but didn't show it. "Of course I am."

"Of course you are," Darmacus muttered darkly and parked the car. Mira had too many valuable possessions in her bag so she brought it with her. She threw the silver chain over her shoulder and followed her father to a bridge.

Mira leaned against the bridge's railings and crossed her arms over her chest, not looking forward to meeting the rest of the Thatchers. She imagined the children would be just as bad as their mother, presumably even worse.

Soon enough, five people came into view. A boy with a Justin Bieber haircut and a wide nose with dull blue eyes, looking bored as ever, he looked to be the oldest. A girl with blonde hair and grey eyes was walking arm-in-arm with a girl with similar blonde hair and brown eyes. Ashley Thatcher, the mother, was holding hands with a girl that stood out the most. The girl had dark red hair and what looked to be white-blue-ish eyes with no pupils.

Mira only looked at the redhead and wondered why she was looking at nothing in particular.

"Hello, sweetheart." Ashley greeted Darmacus first and kissed his cheek, causing Mira to look away in disapproval.

"Hello, beautiful."

Mira nearly laughed at her father's greeting but managed to refrain herself from doing so.

"You remember my daughters, Penelope and Mirabelle." Darmacus introduced the two girls standing beside him. Penelope was smiling widely with a hint of curiosity hidden in her brown eyes. Mira had her arms crossed as a sign of rejection for the family in front of her.

Ashley hadn't taken notice of Mira's stance and smiled down at the girls. "Wonderful to see you, girls, again. Our previous meeting went splendidly, don't you agree?"

"Absolutely!" Penelope immediately agreed and Mira rolled her eyes.

Ashley looked at the four children behind her. "These are my children. My son Bruce-" she pointed at the Justin Bieber lookalike, who said nothing in greeting, "-my twins, Darcy and Missy-" she pointed at the two fraternal twins. "And my youngest, Angelina."

Angelina was looking over Penelope's shoulder, but she still smiled, unlike her siblings.

"Shall we go to the restaurant?" Darmacus asked.

"Certainly." Ashley smiled and took Darmacus' hand and began walking.

They walked for a while, talking animatedly with one another, with the exception of Angelina and Mira. Angelina had a small smile the entire way to the restaurant whilst Mira trailed behind and scowled at their backs.

They eventually sat down outside the restaurant and everyone was looking through their menus. Mira was the first one to set her down and she leaned back in her seat to observe everyone. Everyone else was looking through their menu's, talking to each other occasionally. The only person Mira showed even a slight interest in was the redhead Angelina. She was just staring down at her connected hands.

Then, Mira realized, Angelina was blind.

Mira felt pity for the small girl. Not seeing anything must be hell.

Mira leaned towards the redhead. "Do you need help?"

Angelina turned to Mira with a perplexed look. "Pardon?"

"Do you need help?" Mira repeated patiently, her pity growing for the girl.

"I'd appreciate your help, yes." Angelina smiled widely and Mira wondered how a person with no vision could have such optimism and have a constant smile on her face.

Mira opened her menu again. "What do you like? There's fries, chicken, salads, hamburgers, spaghetti..." Mira droned on.

Angelina listened with attention. "I think I'd like some fries. Spaghetti seems a little too complicated for me."

Mira let out a small chuckle. "Fries it is. What do you wanna drink?"

"Coke?"

"Okay."

Mira closed the menu and went to grab her phone when Angelina said something in the most light-hearted, grateful voice ever.

"Thank you for helping me."

Half-stunned, Mira replied. "It was nothing."

"It was everything for me."

This girl is deep, Mira thought.

Mira didn't reply, she just continued scrolling through Instagram.

"Where do you live?" Penelope asked, trying to start a conversation with them.

"We live in the village Little Whinging, dear," Ashley replied, showing her slightly crooked teeth as she smiled.

Mira cringed at how Ashley said 'dear'. Her own mother called her that all the time.

"Where do you go to school?" Darcy asked.

"In London, but I'm going to boarding school next year," Penelope answered.

"You're paying for their boarding school?" Ashley asked Darmacus. "Does Mirabelle also go?"

"Yes, she does," Darmacus answered, not looking once at Mira.

"Where?"

"Saint Brutus' Centre for Incurably Criminal Girls," Darmacus replied easily and Mira's mouth fell open in disbelief.

"Excuse me?" Mira said her first word to the family.

"You're a criminal?" Missy asked, her grey eyes wide.

"I told you that people with black hair tend to be the most vicious," Darcy said, her nose crinkling in distaste. _Fucking airhead._

"Yeah, and a blonde's head tends to be full of air." Mira scowled. "Dad-"

"Mirabelle doesn't like to be reminded of what she is." Darmacus cut in.

"I'm sure we can help her, too." Ashley smiled, as did Darmacus. "Children and they're banters."

Darmacus laughed.

The waiter came and asked everyone what they wanted to drink.

"Coke," Mira replied shortly, then added as an afterthought, "please."

"Mirabelle put your phone away." Darmacus scolded at seeing Mira on her phone again.

Mira looked up and looked at Bruce who was very obviously on his phone. Darmacus' eyes narrowed and Mira begrudgingly pocketed her phone and instead opted to fool around with a toothpick.

"Mum, what are those people doing?" Darcy asked, looking behind her shoulder.

Curiously, Mira glanced behind her and her mouth fell open. Walking through the streets were cloaked witches and wizards, talking excitedly amongst each other.

"Tell them to leave." Darmacus hissed over the table at Mira.

Mira turned towards him. "They're doing nothing."

"People are looking!"

"I _can't_ do anything!"

The rest of the dinner went by uneventfully. Angelina and Mira hadn't exchanged words anymore, but the smile remained on Angelina's face. It was starting to infuriate Mira. Why would someone be so willing to keep a stupid smile on their face?

"I am very angry with you, Mirabelle." Darmacus raged.

Mira turned, confused. "What did I do?"

Darmacus towered over her, glaring fiercely. "The way you spoke to them was unbelievable! Your mother and I raised you better than that!"

Mira's breath hitched. "Don't talk about her."

"Don't talk about her," he mocked. "Mirabelle, you have to get over this!"

"You have no idea how difficult it is to 'get over it'!" Mira said loudly, clenching her fists.

"I've spent sixteen years with that woman! I know better than anyone what it's like!"

"And yet, a divorce followed and another woman came into the picture, not a month later!"

Darmacus' face became red. "Get out! Go to your room!"

"No!" Mira finally screamed. "You have a fucking issue with her death and you completely ignore it!"

"I am your father and you will do as I say! LEAVE!"

"But hey, look on the bright side," Mira continued as if her father hadn't spoken at all, she sounded almost hysterical. "She's not here to protect me anymore from you! Now you can insult me and tell me how much of a disappointment I am because I'm not a Gryffindor! GO AHEAD!" her voice broke at the last word and she cursed herself for sounding weak in an argument.

A vein pulsed in Darmacus' forehead and he became even redder, if possible. He said the next words calmly, but full of venom. "Leave. I don't want to see your face anymore."

"Yeah, I get it. Because when you see me, you see her." Mira raged. "Take a fucking good look at me, dad, and think of her."

Darmacus didn't reply, he just glared ferociously down at her.

Mira decided that she had enough and whirled around and stomped to her room.

"You best hope I don't put bars on your window!" Darmacus yelled at her.

"I'd like to see you try!" Mira yelled back, her voice hoarse.

She burst into her room and closed it as hard as she could behind her. The sight of her shocked her immensely.

"Professor Dumbledore." Mira greeted and she cleared her throat before properly greeting her professor. "Hello, professor."

"Hello, Miss Rhodes. Or should I say Potter?" his blue eyes twinkled playfully in the light of the room and Mira felt herself become red. Dumbledore had gotten himself comfortable, he was sitting on the bed, calmly petting her cat. He must've been here for a while, meaning he heard her heated argument with her father.

"Potter, yes," Mira confirmed quietly.

"Congratulations on your inheritance. May I ask what you inherited from your mother?"

Mira looked at the leather bag resting on her hip. "Money, a few other things."

"More than enough money, I heard."

Mira let out a small chuckle. "More than enough, yes." She looked back up at the heavily aged sorcerer. "With all due respect, but what are you doing here, professor?"

Dumbledore looked down at Chantilly, who was purring in his lap. "I came here to check if you were all right and discuss some matters with you."

"Okay," Mira said slowly.

"You have been through a lot these past months and I have no doubt that the student body will overwhelm you when you return to Hogwarts." began Dumbledore. "Is there anything you will be needing at Hogwarts?"

Mira paused. "Anything?"

"If it will help you get through it, yes."

"I'd like a dorm room... with Tatiana only," Mira said reluctantly. "Just the two of us."

Dumbledore nodded, surprising Mira. "That can be arranged. Anything else?"

"No, thank you."

Chantilly crawled out of his lap and Dumbledore stood up, standing tall above Mira.

"Then I shall see you at the Start-of-Term Feast, Miss Potter."

"Goodbye, professor."

He joined his hands together and then looked at Mira as if he'd forgotten something. "Ah, and I like the Muggle candy."

With a pop, Dumbledore was gone.

Mira looked at the bowl where her Haribo candy usually was, was empty now.


	3. 03 The House-Elf

**IT WAS A** miracle that Penelope and Darmacus hadn't found out about her inheritance, but she suspected they would soon.

Mira learned the next morning that her father quit the job at the Ministry a while ago, but she didn't hold it against him considering Mira was hiding something way bigger than quitting a job.

Another news was that her new name was leaked to the public by someone in the notary office. Now the newspapers didn't say Mirabelle Rhodes anymore, but Mirabelle Potter instead.

Darmacus felt that he needed to add fuel to the fire with his argument with Mira and put actual bars on her window.

Though, after Darmacus opened what he received from Hydra's will, Mira wasn't upset with the bars anymore.

Hydra had left a box for Darmacus in her will and he hadn't opened it immediately, claiming he would do it later. Yesterday, he finally opened it and, unfortunately for him, Mira was in the room, highly amused at what was in it. In the box was a wand, but not a normal wand. It was Darmacus' wand...

Broken in two...

With Hydra's wedding ring around each, holding them side-by-side.

Mira stared at it in mute shock before she began laughing. She laughed louder than she ever had in her entire life. The wedding ring around the broken wand was the biggest 'fuck you' of all time. Even in the afterlife, Hydra still managed to hand out incredibly clever burns, and Mira couldn't have been prouder to have been her daughter.

Currently, Penelope and Mira were sitting on the couch, listening to their father rant. Penelope was listening with rapt attention whilst Mira was nearly sleeping.

"This is a very important day." he began. "The director of the factory, Mr. Giovanni, has accepted my invitation to have dinner over at our house." _Your house_ , Mira thought bitterly. "You know what to do. You will wear your neatest dresses, as will Ashley's children. Penelope, you'll be?"

Penelope sat up straighter with a foul as hell smile. "I'll be waiting to open the door. "'May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni?'."

"Holy Christ." Mira groaned quietly, wanting nothing more than to disappear.

"And you Mirabelle?"

Mira looked up and her next words came out tonelessly. "I'll pour them drinks."

"Exactly, and-"

"Fuck off." she murmured quietly to herself, not listening to his useless speech anymore.

He finally finished and left to change in his suit, leaving the sisters alone in the living room.

"I wish you'd be nicer to him." Penelope voiced.

"You don't get to wish anything," Mira said, thinking of all the mean things she could say to Penelope in their conversation.

"You always make me sound like the bad person here," Penelope said. "Someday you're going to realise that it's been you that's the problem all along."

"Why don't you think you're the bad guy?" Mira questioned, ready to literally beat Penelope's arse. "I mean, you have all the characteristics. Ugly as hell, evil as hell."

Penelope glared at her. "You call me ugly? Clearly, you haven't been looking in the mirror, scarhead!"

The insult bothered Mira, it hit her right in her insecurities about her prominent scars.

Though, she refused to give Penelope the satisfaction that Mira was even slightly hurt by the insult.

"I saw one characteristic right there. A shallow, jealous little bitch."

"How am I jealous?" Of course, jealous was the only word she picked up.

Mira chuckled humourlessly. "Jealous as in that you decided to hide my Hogwarts letters because I got to go there first."

Penelope visibly froze and satisfaction ran through Mira. She was getting there.

"But I don't think you're going... at all." Mira continued airily. "I don't think that your magic just reacts late, I think it won't come at all." Mira paused. "I think you're a Squib."

"Don't you-"

"And I'll take great satisfaction in that fact." Mira interrupted, her eyes forming an icy glare. "So think about it. I get to go to Hogwarts and be surrounded by witches and wizards... all above _you_."

Mira stood up, looking down in disgust at her sister, but not disgust for Penelope being a Squib, absolutely not. Mira was disgusted that Penelope had tried to prevent her from going somewhere she'd been dreaming of going since she was four. Mira and Penelope had their fair share of fights, to the point where their parents had tried to separate them to prevent a physical fight from occurring, but this was pure betrayal.

Penelope's mouth opened and closed, her brown eyes wide in shock.

Finally, Mira left, but not before sending Penelope the most beautiful smile with fire raging behind her icy blue eyes.

She went upstairs to put on her dress to see something that resembled a house-elf wearing a ragged pillowcase and was jumping on her bed enthusiastically.

"Who are you?"

The little house-elf on the bed turned.

Mutely, they stared at each other.

The house-elf slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. Mira noticed that he was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm, and leg-holes.

"Hello?" Mira greeted quizzically.

"Mirabelle Potter!" the house-elf exclaimed in a high-pitched voice Mira was sure would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, miss... Such an honor it is..."

"Thanks, I guess." Mira thanked, edging along the wall and sinking into her desk chair. "Who are you?"

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," the house-elf said.

"Oh, really?" Mira asked. "I don't want to be rude or anything, but now's not a good time to have a house-elf in my room."

Mira heard the Thatchers arrive and sighed loudly.

"Dobby, is there any particular reason why you're here?"

"Oh, yes, ma'am," Dobby said earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, miss... it is difficult, miss... Dobby wonders where to begin..."

"Why don't you sit down?" Mira said politely, pointing at the bed where Chantilly was eyeing the stranger house-elf warily.

To her horror, the elf burst into tears, very noisy tears.

"S-sit down!" he wailed. " Never... never ever..."

Mira thought he heard the voices downstairs falter.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything-"

"Offend Dobby!" the elf choked. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a witch, like an equal-"

Mira, trying to say "Shh!" and look comforting at the same time, ushered Dobby back onto the bed where he sat hiccoughing, looking like a large and hideous doll. At last, he managed to control himself and sat with his great eyes fixed on Mira in an expression of watery adoration.

"I know that house-elves are treated unfairly, but I'm different, all right?"

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, " Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"Don't! Stop it!" Mira hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed.

"Dobby had to punish himself, miss," the elf said, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, miss..."

"Your family?"

"The wizard family Dobby serves, miss... Dobby is a house-elf, bound to serve one house and one family forever."

"Do they know you're here?" Mira asked.

Dobby shuddered.

"Oh, no, miss, no... Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, miss. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, miss..."

Mira cringed. "Won't they notice you'll be putting your ears between an oven door?"

"Dobby doubts it, miss. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, miss. They lets Dobby get on with it, miss. Sometimes they reminds me to do extra punishments."

Mira looked down at the house-elf with pity. "Is there any way I can help you?"

Almost at once, Mira wished she hadn't spoken. Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude.

"Please," Mira whispered frantically, "please be quiet. My family can't know you're here,"

"Mirabelle Potter asks if she can help Dobby... Dobby has heard of your greatness, miss, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew..."

"Oh, that's all rubbish, Dobby. I'm not even the best in my year, it's Hermione Granger."

"Mirabelle Potter is humble and modest," Dobby said reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Mirabelle Potter speaks not of her triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named-"

"Voldemort?" Mira questioned.

Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, miss! Speak not the name!"

"Sorry," Mira apologised.

Dobby leaned toward Mira, his eyes wide as headlights.

"Mirabelle Potter met the Dark Lord and defeated him, Dobby is honoured to be in the presence of such a gifted witch."

Mira nodded and Dobby's eyes suddenly shone with tears.

"Ah, miss," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grimy pillowcase he was wearing. "Mirabelle Potter is valiant and bold! She has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Mirabelle Potter, to warn her, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later... Mirabelle Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."

There was a silence broken only by the clink of knives and forks from downstairs and the distant rumble of Darmacus' voice.

"W-what?" Mirabelle stammered. "I have to go back. All my friends are there."

"No, no, no," Dobby squeaked, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Mirabelle Potter must stay where she is safe. She is too great, too good, to lose. If Mirabelle Potter goes back to Hogwarts, she will be in mortal danger."

"Why?" Mira asked in surprise.

"There is a plot, Mirabelle Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," Dobby whispered, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, miss. Mirabelle Potter must not put herself in peril. She is too important, miss!"

"What terrible things?" Mira questioned suspiciously. "Who's plotting them?"

Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head frantically against the wall.

"All right!" Mira cried, grabbing the elf's arm to stop him. "You can't tell me. I understand. But why are you warning me?" A sudden, unpleasant thought struck her. "Hang on, this hasn't got anything to do with Vol- with You-Know-Who, has it? You could just shake or nod," she added hastily as Dobby's head tilted worryingly close to the wall again.

Slowly, Dobby shook his head.

"Not-not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, miss-"

But Dobby's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to give Mira a hint. Mira, however, was completely lost.

"Someone else trying to control the world?"

Dobby shook his head, his eyes wider than ever.

"Well then, I can't think who else would have a chance of making horrible things happen at Hogwarts," Mira said. "I mean, there's Dumbledore, for one thing. You know who Dumbledore is, don't you?"

Dobby bowed his head.

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever had. Dobby knows it, miss. Dobby has heard Dumbledore's powers rival those of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the height of his strength. But, miss,"- Dobby's voice dropped to an urgent whisper- "there are powers Dumbledore doesn't... powers no decent wizard..."

And before Mira could stop him, Dobby bounded off the bed, seized Mira's desk lamp, and started beating himself around the head with ear-splitting yelps.

A sudden silence fell downstairs. Two seconds later Mira, heart thudding madly, heard her father bounding up the stairs.

"Quick! In the closet!" Mira hissed, stuffing Dobby in, shutting the door, and flinging herself onto the bed just as the door handle turned.

"What - the - devil - are - you - doing?" Darmacus asked through gritted teeth, his face horribly close to Mira's. "Doesn't matter! Get dressed!" he left.

Mira got dressed in her black dress in case her father came in again. She then grabbed the one-inch heels from under her bed and quickly put them on.

Mira let Dobby out of the closet.

"Dobby, you don't understand. My life is Hogwarts, my friends."

"Friends who don't even write to Mirabelle Potter?" Dobby said slyly.  
It was true, besides from the occasional text message, Mira hadn't received any letters from her other friends, and it had upset her greatly.

"I expect they've just been - wait a minute," Mira said, frowning. "How do you know my friends haven't been writing to me?"

"Mirabelle! The guests are here! Come!"

Dobby shuffled his feet.

"Mirabelle Potter mustn't be angry with Dobby. Dobby did it for the best-"

Mira sneered at him. "Did you steal my letters?"

Mira thought of the people who could've sent letters to her. Fred, George, Diana, Claude, Jasper, Misha, Hermione. Mira hadn't spoken much with Hermione over the past year and only knew her because she and Diana were roommates at Hogwarts. They only became friends at the end of the year. They became better friends when Hermione became more involved in their group of friends.

"Dobby has them here, miss," the elf said. Stepping nimbly out of Mira's reach, he pulled a thick wad of envelopes from the inside of the pillowcase he was wearing. Mira could make out Diana's neat writing, Claude's ancient-looking handwriting, Hermione's immaculate one, Fred and George's quick scribble, Misha's crooked one, Jasper's impossibly neat cursive writing, and even a scribble that looked as though it was from the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid.

Dobby blinked anxiously up at Mira.

"Mirabelle Potter mustn't be angry... Dobby hoped... if Mirabelle Potter thought her friends had forgotten her... Mirabelle Potter might not want to go back to school, miss..."

Mira wasn't listening. She made a grab for the letters, but Dobby jumped out of reach.

"Mirabelle Potter will have them, miss, if she gives Dobby her word that she will not return to Hogwarts. Ah, miss, this is a danger you must not face! Say you won't go back, miss!"

"I will do no such thing!" Mira argued hotly. "Give me my friends' letters!"

"Then Mirabelle Potter leaves Dobby no choice," the elf said sadly.

Before Mirabelle could move, Dobby had darted to the bedroom door, pulled it open, and sprinted down the stairs.

Mouth dry, stomach lurching, Mira sprang after him, trying not to make a sound, but failing horribly with the clicking of her heels. From the living room, she heard Darmacus saying, "... tell Ashley that very funny story about those American plumbers, Mr. Giovanni. She's been dying to hear..."

Mira ran up the hall into the living room and felt her stomach disappear.

The pudding Mira was forced to make by her father, her masterpiece of a pudding, the mountain of cream and sugared violets, was floating towards Mrs. Giovanni. On top of a cupboard in the corner crouched Dobby. The Thatchers watched with wide eyes as the floating pudding flew towards Mrs. Giovanni and Mira even saw Bruce gulp.

"No," Mira whispered.

"Mirabelle Potter must say she's not going back to school-"

"Dobby," Mira said in a warning tone.

"Say it, miss,"

"I can't-"

Dobby gave him a tragic look.

"Then Dobby must do it, miss, for Mirabelle Potter's own good."

The pudding fell on top of Mrs. Giovanni. Cream splattered on top of her and Mr. Giovanni's suit and side of his face as the dish shattered. With a crack like a whip, Dobby vanished.

At first, it looked as though Darmacus would manage to gloss the whole thing over. ("Just my daughter - very disturbed - meeting strangers upsets her after the tragic loss of her mother..."), but nothing helped. Mrs. and Mr. Giovanni had left the house in a haste, covered in pudding.

Mira looked up at her father and gulped

"HOW DARE YOU USE MAGIC OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL!" Darmacus roared. "THEY SAW YOU USING MAGIC!"

Mira cringed. Not only did Dobby manage to chase away the Giovannis, but also reveal a part of the Wizarding world to Muggles.

After being chewed out severely by her father, she was forced to go to her room, where she wallowed in misery.

She took off her pudding-covered dress and grabbed a bunch of clothes and threw them on. Mira laid on her bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about the events that happened a few minutes ago.

After a few minutes, she stood up and walked to the window, glaring at the metal bars. She started out into the dark for a few minutes before she went to bed, not bothering to change her clothes.

The room was growing dark. Exhausted, stomach rumbling, mind spinning over the same unanswerable questions, Mira fell into an uneasy sleep.

She dreamed about never going to Hogwarts again, instead of staying in this shithouse for the rest of her life. It was horrible.

"No," Mira muttered as the rattling pounded in her sore head. "Go away."

Her eyes shot open. Moonlight was shining through the bars on the window. And someone was goggling through the window. A boy with dark brown hair, black eyes, and fading freckles.

Jace Winchester was outside Mira's window.


End file.
